


Aftermath of an angel

by LiterallyJustAngst



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Angel Wings, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Im not trying to romanticize this at all, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Suicidal Thoughts, he's just sad and I like to take things to the extreme
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2021-02-18 07:42:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21840697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiterallyJustAngst/pseuds/LiterallyJustAngst
Summary: After the death of Uriel, Lucifer discovers a new tactic for punishment.Ella is not too happy when she finds out, and neither is Chloe.But what's this about him having wings?(This takes place in a sort of AU split after Uriel's death where, knowing that Lucifer hated them, God gave our dear devil his wings back early.)
Relationships: Amenadiel & Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar, Dan Espinoza & Lucifer Morningstar, Ella Lopez & Lucifer Morningstar, Linda Martin & Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Mazikeen & Lucifer Morningstar (Lucifer TV), Trixie Decker & Lucifer Morningstar
Comments: 21
Kudos: 320





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> OKAY so this deals with some heavy subjects read at your own risk.

Chloe sat at her desk, pretending to do paperwork. 

Really, she was more preoccupied with staring at her partner. Out of the corner of her eye, she could tell that his hair was disheveled, his eyes were downcast, framed by heavy bags. He stared at his hands, especially at his right one, looking at them as if they were the most fascinating and simultaneously the most horrifying things he'd ever seen.

Chloe was pretty sure he was on acid or something, why else would he be acting so weird? 

He glanced over at her and she busily scribbled down some words on the sheet waiting blank below her pen.

He winced as his eyes drifted down to her gun, and then returned to examining his hands. 

She returned to watching him and her eyes narrowed as she noticed him starting to clench and unclench his hands, staring at them in methodical disinterest.

He crossed his arms and suddenly darted to his feet, making his way to Ella's lab. Which was odd since Ella was out. 

Chloe was going to follow him when Dan stopped by her desk and proceeded to pester her about how her partner was doing jack shit for the case. 

By the time she'd managed to get him to cool down, Lucifer had re-emerged, looking a little fresher but much more tired, his eyes sunken and his lips drawn into a tight-lipped smirk. 

His arms were crossed, but she didn't notice how he winced slightly every time the fabric of his sleeves shifted.

Before long, they were called out to the scene of another homicide, a supposed series of forced suicides.

The scene was gruesome, police and forensics milling around the area. 

Four bodies lay half-covered by sheets next to an old oak tree. 

Ella was crouched next to the furthest one.

Chloe lead the way, her unease growing as Lucifer followed sedately. 

Ella lept up as they approached. 

"Hey, so what happened here?" Chloe asked, giving her a smile as an apology for Lucifer's unusual coldness.

Ella considered the quiet club owner for another moment before turning back to the corpse.

"We found all four hanging from this tree," She crouched again, motioning vaguely to the bodies and then pointing at the defined blue and black marks encircling the neck of the nearest victim. "It would be pretty cut and dry if it weren't for the fact that we found a scene exactly like this one half a mile further in. Everything from the people's appearances to the rope, and even to the length of the nooses is exactly the same."

Lucifer stared silently at the marks, his eyes a whirlpool of something akin to longing.

"So it's a serial killer?" He finally asked, and Chloe's motherly side swelled at the slight creakiness of his voice. 

Ella, wisely ignoring his appearance and tone, nodded.

"It's always the same kind of tree too." She stood up, taking a few steps closer to the tree's trunk and motioning for them to follow, "We haven't found anything from the killer other than this glove, and we aren't even sure it was his -or her's." 

Chloe nodded, waiting for Lucifer to add something.

He never did, instead pointedly avoiding her eyes and glaring instead at the nooses. 

Chloe sighed and turned back to Ella. 

The forensic's scientist frowned and proceeded to drag the detective away, telling Lucifer to stay for good measure. He made no sign of having heard them, eyes fixed on his hands again.

Ella stopped a bit away, making sure they were out of everyone's earshot.

"Hey, what's wrong with Lucifer?" 

Chloe winced.

"I honestly have no idea. He showed up like this. Do you think he's still not over the car accident? He really freaked out when that guy came in with a gun, something about it being more dangerous than usual. I guess that was only yesterday but nothing happened, I don't get why he's so out of it." 

Ella glared at the ground pensively.

"I mean, that doesn't explain how he looks like he's been dead for three days. Not really, of course. If he had been dead for three days then bloating would have set in and his eyes would have started to go white."

As the scientist continued on her rant, Chloe turned back to Lucifer. 

She glanced around, he wasn't where they'd left him. 

Once she'd finally been able to peel herself away from Ella, Lucifer came back to the crime scene from the woods, tucking something in his pocket after wiping it down. 

She walked up to him and placed a gentle hand on his forearm.

He flinched slightly, tensing and pulling away from her. 

She must have surprised him. 

"Detective, I didn't see you there. How's the case going?" He said, though her eyebrows furrowed at how hollow his usually jovial tone sounded. 

She reached to grab his arm as he went to walk away, but he turned to avoid her hand. 

She frowned again. 

"Lucifer, wait. Are you okay to be working this case? You don't look too good." 

The club owner scoffed, very carefully forcing his features back into the gleeful and mischievous expression she was used to. 

It looked off, his face just a bit too pale, his eyes just a bit too dark, his eye-bags just a bit too violet. 

"Lucifer, I'm serious. If you need to take a day off, just ask. You look like you haven't slept in days."

His face remained coldly unreadable, his eyes seeming just a bit darker.

"I assure you Detective, I'm not ill. I don't need any sleep." 

Chloe relaxed. He never lied, he must just have had a bad trip or a bad hangover.

She placed a gentle hand on his arm, missing the way his eye twitched as he kept from pulling away.

“Alright, if you’re sure you’re okay then I’ll trust you. You can talk to me, you know?”

He smiled a bit, but it looked wrong, just a little too sharp, just a little too self-loathing.

“Of course, Detective.”

She pointedly ignored his odd expression and turned back to where Ella had returned to her business.

Ella looked up and when Lucifer shot her a small smile, she grinned back tenfold.

Looking back down, however, her face fell again.

Ella turned back to her work and Lucifer dug his nails into his sleeves. 

Dad, it hurt.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer is the master of partial truths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this! Comments and Kudos are always appreciated!
> 
> Sorry that this one is a bit short, but I thought it sounded better if I split it here!

Ella sighed, slipping her gloves off and rubbing the back of her neck.

“Man, this case might be a dead-end. We’re waiting for a fingerprint ID on the nooses but there’s so little evidence. These are the cases that always screw with me. Maybe if I was better at this…” She said that last part almost to herself, quietly enough that only Lucifer and his inhuman hearing noticed. 

He frowned.

“Pardon me, miss Lopez, but I feel the need to correct you. If you, widely the most brilliant and accomplished forensics scientist on our team can not close this case, then it means that the case can not be closed. If there is any evidence that will help solve this, it will be you who finds it, and I can guarantee that.”

Ella and Chloe stood stunned. They rarely heard Lucifer praise anyone like that. 

Tears welled in the scientist’s eyes and she lept up, barreling into Lucifer with more force than he thought possible from such a small human.

Unfortunately, since his wounds were of angel origin -inflicted by his brother the night before- they had not healed, and the presence of the detective was certainly not helping that process along. 

Though, in all fairness, neither were the much newer cuts on his arms.

He bit his lip so he wouldn’t cry out in pain as she managed to jostle his broken ribs, sore hip, possibly-dislocated shoulder, and faintly bleeding arms all at once.

Chloe noticed his pain and quickly pried Ella off him, the latter of which looked understandably confused. 

She, careful to avoid really touching him, brought both of them deeper into the forest. 

Once she was sure the three of them were well and hidden by the trees, she wheeled on Lucifer.

“What the hell was that?” She hissed, keeping her voice down so she didn’t attract attention from the police forces still milling just past the trees.

Ella stepped forward a bit.

“Sorry, I’m late here, what happened?” 

“You hugged him and he flinched so hard I thought he might get whiplash!” 

Lucifer groaned and turned to leave.

Chloe had other ideas.

Reaching out, she grabbed his arm, directly over the two deepest wounds he’d inflicted.

He gasped in pain and immediately lurched back towards her, desperate to remove the pressure from his wrist.

She let go quickly, guilt making her eyes water a bit. 

“Sorry, sorry! Are you okay?” 

Ella was suddenly very glad she’d brought her bag with her, it held a first-aid kit and if he was hurt she might be able to help.

Lucifer hissed and pulled his arm closer to his chest, cradling it.

“I already said that I didn’t need help, Detective. I can handle it myself.” 

Chloe frowned.

“I thought you said you didn’t lie, Lucifer. Let Ella have a look and I’ll let you go, no questions asked. And I’ll do all the paperwork for our next case without asking you for help.” 

Lucifer froze up. He didn’t really have a choice at this point. He could, theoretically, leave with no trouble, since he was powerful enough to get out easily. But, on the other hand, leaving now would be difficult since the detective already knew something was up.

He hated not having a choice.

He could faintly feel the blood he was still so unaccustomed to having seeping into the black fabric of his suit (distantly he was glad he’d worn a cheaper suit). 

However, if he did show his arm...he dreaded to even think about what might happen. 

So he improvised.

“Fine, but my arm isn’t the problem. I got in a fight and I hurt my shoulder, you twisted it when you grabbed me.” Not really a lie, he had hurt his shoulder.

Chloe looked at him suspiciously but sighed and just told him to take his shirt off.

He did as she asked, letting it hang until around his elbows, where he was careful to keep his sleeves up. 

Both looked deeply disconcerted by the terrible bruise spreading on his ribs, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from screaming as Ella prodded the mottled flesh while checking the bones underneath.

He twisted his arm until the gashes on his wrists began to pulse with pain, he knew they were bleeding pretty profusely now, but the feeling was almost numbing in comparison to the scientist's ministrations. 

The sooner this was over, the better.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer should really start carrying gauze around.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm sorry to come back with such a short chapter, but finals have me flailing like a fish out of water and I've hardly had any time to write! Now that finals are over, I should have more time to write, so expect a new chapter soon!

Eventually, the checkup was done and Ella had given him a diagnosis of 6 fractured ribs.

With that, he put his shirt back on, wincing at the way the fabric of his sleeves rubbed along the torn flesh of his forearms. 

In the background, Ella droned on, theorizing about how he’d gotten 6 fractured ribs at once and fretting over how he was currently conscious with how painful that had to be

Chloe placed a gentle hand on one of his arms, offering to button the shirt up for him.

For a terrible moment, Lucifer noticed the red now staining Chloe’s fingers from where she’d touched the now-soaked fabric of his sleeve.

She noticed it only a moment later, Ella turning at Chloe’s whine.

Lucifer was frozen, rooted to the spot as his fight-or-flight instincts yelled at him to do something.  
Ella rushed forward, stopping just a foot away from him, next to where Chloe had backed up to.

“H-Hey, Luce, you should have told me you were hurt...can I see?” 

Lucifer could hardly get a single breath past his lips, he didn’t technically have to breathe, but around Chloe, he realized it might be more necessary.

Ella took a step closer, reaching for him, and he scrambled back a step.

She stopped short, raising her hands in surrender.

Chloe stood by, incredibly confused and incredibly concerned.

“Okay, you’re okay. I’m not gonna come to you, but I need you to come to me as soon as you’re comfortable.” Ella said, her voice low, like when she spoke to a child in distress.

Lucifer paused. He couldn’t -wouldn’t- let Chloe see.

“F-fine.” He hissed, his voice wasn’t as pitiful as he’d expected, but he cursed the stutter, “But I need the Detective to go back to the scene.”

Chloe looked slightly crestfallen at that, and she wouldn’t deny that it hurt a bit that Lucifer didn’t trust her.

Ella nodded, sending Chloe a pleading look. Chloe didn’t need to be told twice, she walked past Lucifer, careful to give him a wide berth so he wouldn’t panic like earlier with Ella.

Once Chloe was far enough that she wouldn't see or hear anything (still too close for him to heal though) Ella took a hesitant step closer. 

He let her, though he couldn’t help a slight flinch when she reached for him.

She gently grabbed hold of his hand, careful not to touch his arm.

He considered pulling away, pulling away and running back to Lux to nurse his wounds, but he knew that he would never hear the end of it, so he let her unbutton his sleeve. 

He winced when she tugged at it, and she pursed her lips in sympathy before tugging again, but lighter.

Finally, they managed to get the fabric loose enough to pull it back.

She tugged, though the arm was so red under the sleeve it was hard to tell where the blood came from.

The skin was sticky with dried blood and he bit his lip when the wounds were pulled open again by the sleeve.

Ella reached for her first-aid, incredibly concerned by the amount of blood, but she hadn’t found the exact location the blood was coming from yet.

Pulling out a water bottle and a small rag, she doused the rag and began to try and wash the blood away.

As soon as the first cut was exposed, her eyebrows furrowed in concern, a sharp intake of breath the only tell of her emotions. She froze, eyes stuck on the neatly split skin.

She glanced up at him after what seemed like an eternity.

“L-Lucifer...is this…did you…?” 

He looked away and she whimpered.

Without another word, she returned to washing the blood away, wincing every time a new cut was cleaned off. 

Once his right arm was clean, she sat back a bit, counting the number of wounds. 

12\. 12 self-inflicted cuts on her friend’s arm.

She carefully filed that away, unsure if she could contain her tears if she didn’t keep the information for later.

“Luce...you -your other arm?”

He sighed and presented the other. She blinked back tears again.

They repeated the process with the left arm, this time finding 10 cuts.

Once both arms were as clean as she could get them, she wrapped them in bandages.

Lucifer refused to meet her eyes, staring at the ground as if it had offended him.

Ella was unsure as to what she was supposed to do in this situation. 

On one hand, she was pretty sure that people should know about this -namely Linda and Chloe, but on the other, he had trusted her with this and she didn’t want to betray that trust.

Finally, she decided that she was just going to have to ask him herself. If he was as truthful as he said he was, then he wouldn’t lie about whether or not he was planning on doing this again.

“Luce? Hey, listen, I’m not gonna yell at you or anything. But I know that you don’t ever lie, right?” She paused and he shot a quick glance at her before looking back at the floor and nodding. “Alright, so I'm going to ask a question and you have to answer with a simple yes or no, okay?” He nodded again. “Are you going to hurt yourself again?” 

He froze up and she winced. Those words felt so wrong on her tongue.

She waited silently for his response. 

Lucifer, again cursing himself and his stupid obligations, found that he didn’t have a choice. He had to tell the truth.

He nodded and Ella inhaled sharply. 

“Alright. Then I’m gonna have to ask you to, 1.) talk to Linda and Chloe, and 2.) let me stay at your place for a few days or weeks. At least until you seem safe.” 

His head darted up.

“Miss Lopez, wait. I can’t tell Chloe about this.” 

Ella frowned.

“Why not? She cares about you and you know it.”

He grimaced.

“Because it’s disgusting and weak and she’ll pity me.”

Ella tentatively grabbed his hand, as gentle as possible.

“It’s not disgusting and it’s not weak. You don’t have to be happy and perfect all the time. And she deserves to know. Do you trust her?” 

Lucifer’s eyes darted up to meet hers and she was shocked by the depth of both sorrow and certainty in them.

“I’d trust the Detective with my life.”


End file.
